Knock Restaurant and Bar co-owner and Woody’s founder Bill Wood married partner Lee Mallon last month after almost four decades together.
Wood, 67, and Mallon, 58, married July 11 at their Philadelphia home.
Wood has co-owned Knock since 2007 and Mallon is a registered nurse at Bryn Mawr Hospital.
Wood and Mallon met 39 years ago at The Allegro, a now-defunct LGBT bar that was located on Spruce Street.
“A friend had introduced us and we seemed to hit it off when we first met,” Wood said. “Things were simpler in those days; when you met someone back then, you actually had to speak with them.”
Throughout the years, Wood said, he and Mallon, both Philly natives, have often found themselves on opposite schedules because of their work commitments. But they have found harmony within their relationship.
Compromise has been integral, he noted.
“It isn’t always easy but we both have been pretty good as far as compromising goes,” he said. “My work habits are different than most people. We had to adjust work hours and usually I am coming home when he is waking up but we still get quality time together.”
They had discussed marriage, and would have tied the knot on a river cruise in France last year, but were stopped by a technicality.
“We pretty much decided together to get married,” Wood said. “We almost did it last year in France but we couldn’t because captains aren’t allowed to marry you on the river, just at sea.”
But, when a federal judge overturned Pennsylvania’s ban on same-sex marriage this past spring, they abandoned plans to get married elsewhere.
“We were looking into doing it in New Jersey or Delaware and when things happened in Pennsylvania, we agreed to get married in our home state,” he said.
Wood and Mallon received a marriage license in June from Montgomery County Register of Wills D. Bruce Hanes, who made headlines last year when he issued licenses to same-sex couples.
“We waited and I am glad we did because we could get married at home,” Wood said.
The couple was married in their garden by a longtime friend, surrounded by friends and family.
“We had waited 39 years; people thought it was pretty much time for us to get married,” Wood said. “Everyone was very happy for us.”
Wood said the marriage still feels new to the couple.
“This week we are buying a home in Florida and now on the papers, we can check married instead of any other labels.”
Wood said he and his now-husband still enjoy one another’s company as much as they did 39 years ago.
“We both make each other laugh after all these years and, as long as we can do that, we are in great shape.”